How Long Do You Have to Wait Before Using Your Inhaler Again

Health Communication > Inhalers, medicines and treatments

Find out the most mutual inhaler mistakes people with asthma experience, how to avoid them and how to manage your inhaler routine.

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Ten common mistakes with inhaler technique
Common mistakes with day-to-day routine

10 common mistakes with inhaler technique

ane. Not using the right technique for your inhaler

It can take time to practice and master the right technique for your inhaler. There are two main types of inhaler - dry out pulverisation inhalers (DPIs) and metred dose inhalers (MDIs). Depending on which type y'all use, you'll need to employ a different inhaler technique. If you're not sure what type of inhaler y'all have, ask your GP, asthma nurse or pharmacist.

MDIs – You need to breathe in slow and steady and, at the aforementioned time, press the canister on the inhaler once. Keep to breathe in slowly over iii to 5 seconds, until your lungs feel total.
DPIs – If you use a dry pulverisation inhaler, yous need to breathe in speedily and securely until your lungs feel full. This makes sure the medicine is completely inhaled.

Lookout our inhaler videos to check the right technique for your inhaler.

two. Not using a spacer

A lot of people don't realise that using a spacer is the best way to take their MDI inhaler. Spacers help the right amount of medicine go to your lungs and reduce side effects. Find out more than about how spacers work.

3. Not breathing out fully earlier using your inhaler

People often don't breathe out as fully equally they need to before using their inhaler. When yous breathe out every bit fully equally you lot can only before taking your inhaler, you create more infinite in your lungs for your next breath in. This means that you can exhale in deeper and for longer when you inhale your asthma medicine - giving it the best chance of reaching the small airways deep inside your lungs.

4. Forgetting to milkshake your inhaler before using it

Some people forget to milkshake their inhaler earlier using it. Inhalers such every bit MDIs need shaking earlier using to ensure the medicine and propellant mix properly, merely other inhalers may not demand shaking. Watch our inhaler videos to find out if yours needs shaking or not.

five. Non lifting your chin slightly earlier breathing in

Lifting your chin helps the medicine become down into your lungs more efficiently. Our inhaler technique videos show yous what your head position should be.

Taking your inhaler

6. Breathing in as well early on or late

When you lot breathe in too early you won't accept plenty time to finish animate in all the medicine because your lungs will already be full. Breathing in also early will mean some of the medicine will stop up sticking to your mouth or the dorsum of your throat, instead of being carried to your lungs where information technology's needed.

If you exhale in too belatedly, particularly if you're not using a spacer, the medicine tin stick to your mouth or the dorsum of your pharynx, instead of getting to your lungs. This is because information technology takes a very brusque corporeality of fourth dimension for the medicine to be released once the canister is pressed.

7. Not waiting betwixt puffs

With some inhalers, such as metered dose inhalers (MDI), you need to wait at least 30 to 60 seconds earlier taking the adjacent puff. This gives the medicine and propellant enough time to mix.

eight. Not having a tight lip seal

When you exhale in, make sure your lips are tightly sealed around your inhaler. If the seal is not tight, medicine will escape, and you won't get the full dose.

nine. Non holding your breath after taking your inhaler

If your GP, asthma nurse, or pharmacist has told you to hold your breath after using your inhaler, it's important to do this. Holding your jiff gives the medicine more fourth dimension to settle into your lungs. Ten seconds is ideal, but if this isn't possible, yous'll even so benefit by property your breath for as long as you lot experience comfortable.

ten. Not rinsing your rima oris after using a steroid inhaler

It's important to rinse your mouth out after using a steroid inhaler, such as your preventer inhaler. This is so that whatsoever medicine that is stuck in your mouth or pharynx is cleaned away. This will foreclose side furnishings such every bit oral thrush.

Mutual mistakes with day-to-twenty-four hours routine

Forgetting to take your preventer inhaler at the aforementioned time every day

Taking your inhaler as prescribed is the best manner to aid manage and improve your asthma symptoms.

Set a daily reminder on your phone to utilise your preventer inhaler every morn and evening. You may also desire to gear up a agenda reminder for ordering your prescriptions too.
Exit your inhaler in the same identify and then that you see it every twenty-four hours. It'south a good idea to keep it adjacent to items you use often, such as almost your keys or on your bedside table.

Forgetting to bring your reliever inhaler out with you

It'south a proficient idea to take your reliever inhaler with yous whenever you lot go out the house. Endeavour keeping a spare inhaler and a spare spacer (if you use an MDI) in your bag then that y'all don't have to call up to pack information technology every time you go out.

You lot tin talk to your GP or asthma nurse about your inhaler technique at your asthma review. You tin can also ask your pharmacist to check your inhaler technique or sentry our inhaler videos.

Yous can telephone call our Helpline on 0300 222 5800 (9am - 5pm; Mon - Friday) to talk to a respiratory nurse specialist about using your inhalers. Or yous can WhatsApp them on 07378 606 728.

Final reviewed: November 2021
Next review due: November 2024

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Source: https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhalers-medicines-treatments/inhalers-and-spacers/common-inhaler-mistakes/